Afraid
by goddess-of-time-and-magic
Summary: Years before Ghost Adventures, Nick Groff was afraid of the dark and the beings that lurk within. During their third year of friendship, Zak Bagans takes Nick to a Haunted House. Nick's fear is not the only feeling tested within the darkness of this amusement park ride. Ghost Adventures (Zak /Nick)


**_State and County Fair, Las Vegas, Nevada_**

 ** _August 12, 2000_**

"I can't believe I let you take me to this," Nick Groff groaned as he stood in line with his best friend of three years. He crossed his arms in hopes that it would stop his body from quivering from nerves. His brown eyes glanced at the mural to his right. A skeleton's skull was spray painted on it, green neon eyes staring out at him. Fake, red blood spilled from the ceiling, dripping down from the skull. He felt his body shiver again.

A muscular hand touched his shoulder, "Relax, Nick," his best friend chuckled and took his hand away, "You're gonna be fine."

"Yea, whatever," Nick responded unhopefully.

The line, suddenly, moved and now they were next to go through the amusement park ride. An unenthusiastic looking worker stood at the entrance, hand stretched for their money. Nick watched his best friend dig the change from his pockets and hand it to the employee, "Step to the left to begin your journey," the employee said in a monotone voice.

"Thanks," his best friend replied and pulled Nick by the arms into the attraction.

"Zak," Nick whined as his vision went black as they stepped through the doorway, "Zak."

"Shhh," Zak responded, "Just stay next to me," and pulled Nick beside him.

Suddenly, a maniacal laugh echoed across the dark room they had entered, "Welcome to the Ravenwood Mansion. Enter," the voice paused before deepening and Nick guessed it was audio editing that did it, "If you dare," and the lights flashed so brightly and there was a gruesome face, bloodied and decaying. Then, as soon it was there, it was gone and the lights stayed on to reveal a long hallway. Dull chandeliers hung from the ceiling and portraits hung from the walls.

"Zak," Nick whimpered, taking a step back and behind the older man.

Zak simply laughed and grabbed Nick's hand once again, pulling the younger man down the hallway. His brown eyes stayed focused on the end of the hallway, refusing to look at the portraits, as some of them had real people in them to jump at their hopeless victims that walked past. Nick whimpered and, if Zak told anyone about his fear outside of Aaron, he would deny it. He would do anything to keep his pride and ego in place.

"We're out of the hallway," he heard Zak say and let go of his hand.

Nick almost rushed forward to grab Zak's hand again or grasp his shirt, but he stopped himself. They entered a new room; the lights were a dull yellow light. It was clearly once a kitchen with cabinets and a table for eating, but it looked more like someone's body exploded on the floral wallpaper. Fake, rubber body parts were strewn across the room. A horrifying shriek appeared out of nowhere and, from the dining table, a young teenage girl crawled across it to them. She gave a smirk, teeth bloodied and sharp. Her eyes were onyx and she had curly blonde hair.

"Oh, goodie!" her voice was like candy, "More dinner," she giggled and jumped up and down on the table, "Did you come for daddy's party?" she gave another girlish giggle, "Well, of course you did! I'm wearing my favorite pink dress!"

Zak gave her one of his faux smiles, "Hmm, that sounds nice," they continued to move around the table to the door on the opposite side.

The girl's lips pouted and she crossed her arms, balancing on her feet, "It's not nice. It's horrid!" and she laughed again, "Just like daddy's parties! I'll see you there!" and the lights went out.

"Come on," Nick heard Zak whisper and they moved out the door to the next one.

"Are we almost done, Zak?" Nick whined again as he helplessly followed Zak into the next room of hell.

Zak laughed and paused in the threshold between the two rooms. He looked at Nick, his blue eyes glistening, "Wow, you really hate the dark don't you?"

"Yes," Nick said. He didn't even bother to make a joke out of it, "And I want to get out," adrenaline was running through his veins from fear of the haunted house they were in and from the way Zak was looking at him in that moment.

Zak sighed, the humor of the moment gone from the atmosphere, "Nick, you'll be fine," and he reached out to grasp Nick's shoulder, "I am here for you. You have no reason to be afraid."

Nick nodded and looked into the next room. It appeared to be a bedroom, but the lights hadn't kicked on yet. Nick looked back at Zak, "Okay, but stay with me."

Zak smiled so brightly, "Always."

And the two men walked into the haunted bedroom. The lights flickered on again to reveal two people, a man and a woman. They had masquerade masks on and Victorian era dress, but they were completely covered in blood. They looked up at the two men, a smirk spreading across their face.

"Oh, look, my love," the woman gave her partner a sick smile, "We have a pair of Peeking Tom's," she stood up from her perch against her partner and walked toward them. She, suddenly, rushed at Nick whose heart raced in his chest at her sudden change in direction. Her red hair tickled his nose and her onyx eyes pierced his own. She pulled away and gave an elegant laugh, "I don't think you have to worry, my love," she returned to her spot on the bed, her partner wrapping his arm around her.

"Worry about what?" they could hear him whisper in her ear.

She reached across to the bed side table, picking up a plate filled with body parts. She took a pale ear and brought it to her lips. She took a bite, blood dripping down her ruby lips. Nick had to mentally tell himself that it was probably a candy she was eating, "About these find looking specimen's stealing my _undying_ love," she burst in laughter, "They are not a woman's type," and she placed the rest of the ear in her mouth and burst into more laughter, blood spitting from her lips.

Nick glanced at Zak, brown eyes raking over the older man's body. Was he that obvious?

"Come, Nick," Zak growled and grabbed Nick's hand, pulling him to the next room before the real horrors in that room began.

Nick couldn't stop looking at Zak, finding the way the neon green lights flashed across his body intoxicating. He shouldn't be feeling this way. Zak was his best friend and that was it. Wasn't it?

At last, they entered the last room. It was a short, amateur, haunted house since they were at the fair. His mouth watered at the thought of greasy food. A funnel cake would do him some good. Nick shut his eyes as they entered the last room. Fun, carousel, classical music reached his ears. He didn't want to see anymore.

Nick stopped in the threshold, his arms snapping forward as Zak continued to walk forward. He paused though when he noticed Nick stopped. Zak looked back at Nick and noticing his closed eyes, stepped in front of him. Zak sighed, his mind racing on how to fix this and, somehow, his thoughts traveled back to the words the women spoke. He knew what he needed to do and he knew it was a risk, but, God knows, he _wanted_ it.

"Nick," he said gently, startled slightly by the russet, whiskey sound his voice gave, "Open your eyes," on command, Nick did so. Sapphire exploded topaz at their visual connection. Zak smiled and raised his hands to cup Nick's face. Nick stared at him with a startled expression, but Zak ignored it. Leaning down, he left a small space between the two of them, "Nick," Zak whispered so silently and, for Nick, it was all he heard, "Don't be afraid."

Zak brought their lips together, soft and sensual. Experimental. He threaded his finger through Nick's hair, trying to find the right spots to bring out those sounds he knew both women and men made. Nick responded to his touch so easily and wrapped his arms around Zak's waist. All the fear left his system and the carnival music was gone, in its place his heartbeat.

Zak pulled away and breathed in the much-needed-oxygen. He touched his forehead to Nick's, "You never have to be afraid," he whispered against Nick's lips, "Never. You are safe with me," Nick answered with his lips.

A couple seconds later, Zak stepped away from Nick. A wicked smile was on his face that Nick couldn't help, but reciprocate. Holding his hand out, Nick asked, "Shall we?"

Zak laughed and took his hand, "Let's go," and Nick led them into the last room.

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 **Rolling Hills Asylum, East Bethany, New York**

 **September 24, 2016**

The air was opaque and he could barely see anything in front of him. The sound of his and his co-investigators breathing was all he could hear. His camera was in his hands, but the screen was closed by the orders of his notorious leader, Zak Bagans. Suddenly, he heard a loud bang to his right and he snapped in that direction. All he saw was black.

"Zak, was that you?" he called out in a loud whisper.

"No," Nick heard Zak call out from a little bit ahead of him. There was no way that the sound was him.

An unknown pressure, without warning, surrounded him and he froze in his spot. It pulled him down as if trying to pull him through the floor. Emotions, that were not his own, rushed over him and he found he couldn't breathe. Something was crawling through his lungs, tearing the delectate tissue, and he was drowning in his own blood. He gasped. Tears flooded his eyes as fear gripped him. It had been many years since he gave the dark a reason to control him, many years since that haunted house attraction at the fair.

Forgetting that they were filming a TV show, Nick dropped the expensive camera and it clattered to the ground. Somehow, as if fate controlled them, the camera landed just right and hit the eject button; the camera stopped recording, "Zak," Nick called out, his voice lost in the dark, "Zak!" he called out again, more urgency in his voice.

Abruptly, a triangular, white light exploded in the old, hallway they were in. The flashlight beam was settled on a pair of black boots before traveling across the floor towards Nick. It illuminated him and his eyes found Zak's body behind the flashlight, "Zak," he called out again and, hearing how broken he was, Zak rushed at him.

"Nick," Zak dropped the flashlight and it angled toward the pair so their feet were illuminated. The older man took hold of Nick by his arms, hands fumbling to see if he was injured, "What is it?"

"Somethings _in_ me, Zak," Nick whispered, still unable to move. Muddy eyes melted within the sapphire of Zak's own, "I'm afraid."

"Shh," Zak's voice calmed Nick as it always did, "You're going to be find," he encouraged the younger man, "Do you need to leave?" Zak watched as Nick nodded and, in response, Zak grabbed Nick's hand, "Come," and Zak led Nick away, back to their Nerve Center.

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There were three chairs in the heated, plastic tent. Two sat empty, but the middle chair was occupied. Zak Bagans sat in it, his partner in ghost hunting and in life was curled up on his lap. Zak stared at the monitor intently, eye brows furrowed together. He watched as Aaron, Billy, and Jay walked back to where he and Nick were just moments before to pick up the fallen camera and flashlight. Nick shifted in his lap slightly knowing that the metal, fold up chair they sat on was not the most stable.

"Zak," Nick whispered as he lay his head down on the older man's shoulder.

"What?" Zak returned softly, still refusing to tear his eyes away from the computer screen.

"I shouldn't have left the ward," he said regrettably, "I shouldn't be afraid anymore."

Zak turned to look at Nick, who sat up, "It's okay to be afraid. I'm afraid of this place, too," his dark eyes glanced at the computer screen once more, "I'm afraid of what these entities will do to mortals. I'm afraid of what they were doing to you, Nicky," Nick was beginning to adore that nickname no matter how much he would say he hated it. Zak looked at Nick, leaning down to touch their foreheads together, "I'm afraid of losing you."

Nick closed the space between them, lips gentle and loving as they caressed each other. But, it was a quick kiss and Nick spoke, "Don't be afraid, Zak," he repeated Zak's words from the haunted house from so many years ago. Nick had a smirk on his face and Zak was so tempted to kiss it away, "I am here. As long as we are together, we have no reason to be afraid."

Zak smiled and leaned forward. He kissed Nick in that moment like he never kissed him before. Zak kissed Nick like he was in love with him. All feelings Zak ever heard before and all the images Zak was ever told seemed to all make sense it that moment. Nick was the reason for it. Zak gently rested his palm against the side of Nick's cheek, his ring cool against the warm skin. He pulled his lips away from Nick's, but Nick wouldn't hear it, "Why don't we-," one kiss, "Take this-," another kiss, "To the van?" Nick got another kiss and a moan from Zak in that moment.

Without saying a word, Nick slid off of Zak's lap and to the warm entrance of the back of the van, Zak trailing behind him.

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Zak's hands trailed up and down Nick's naked sides, goosebumps growing in his wake. Their lips were married together as their hips were and each rock Zak's hips against Nick's brought out one moan after another. Nick clawed at Zak's back; red scratches zigzagged across the pale skin. Their bodies were taunt like a bow and they both knew it was only a matter of seconds before they were washed over by pleasure.

"Zak," Nick gasped as his spine arched. He could feel heat pool in his lower abdomen as Zak's skin brushed his pulsing erection.

Zak simply responded by leaning down and sucking gently on Nick's pale skin. His hand moved to rest themselves beside nick's head on the carpet floor of the back of their van. His breathing was raspy in Nick's ear and his attention to his favorite spot on Nick's neck was swaying. Nick bucked his hips. He relished in the feeling of Zak moving in and out of him and the moan that so loud in his ears.

"Nick," Zak gasped out and then felt himself snap. His hips thrust against Nick's quickly as he reached his orgasm and Nick clutched the older man to him, "Nick," Zak tiredly gasped again, but it was enough for Nick. The young man's hips moved just as quickly as Zak's had and he came undone, shooting his seed in between their stomachs.

"Zak," Nick gasped, head thrown back and eyes wide as fireworks exploded in them.

The two men clutched at each other as they rode out their combined waves. Their skin glistened with sweat and the smell of sex permeated into the van's carpet beneath them. Nick's eyes fell on the darkened windows and saw that they were foggy with the steam from their breath. He smiled.

Suddenly, the watch on Zak's wrist beeped signaling it was midnight. Zak, tiredly, moved off of Nick, and turned it off. The younger man slid up next to him, resting his sweaty head on Zak's equally sweaty chest. Nick could hear the steady heartbeat beneath Zak's skin and his own heart synchronized with it. Zak smiled and Nick studied his face.

"Nicky, do you know what day it is?" Zak's fingers slid slowly up and down Nick's spine.

Nick smiled and kissed Zak's chest softly, "Yes."

Zak looked down at Nick, love and adoration growing his sapphire eyes, "Happy anniversary, husband."

Nick stretched up and kissed Zak's swollen lips, "Happy anniversary, husband," he whispered against Zak's lips. And in the glowing moonlight, their gemini rings glistened and Nick Groff found that he was not afraid.

 **| The End |**


End file.
